Radio 4's Book at Bedtime leaving listeners 'terrified and physically sick'

It is meant to help people to relax their way into a good night's sleep.

But far from soothing listeners into a state of peace and tranquility, Radio 4's Book at Bedtime has been accused of frightening the life out of them.

Listeners to the long-running programme have been left facing nightmares and feeling 'physically sick' after the 'dark' and 'disturbing' choice of readings.

The 10.45pm show, which many use as a sleep aid, has sparked complaints over the choice of books being read in the late-night slot.

People have accused the radio chiefs of being 'crass' and 'insensitive' after many were left wide-awake by the chilling things they heard.

Anger has intensified over the latest adaption on the show of a book called Helpless by the Canadian writer Barbara Gowdy.

It tells the story of the stalking and abduction of a nine-year-old girl by a repair man called Ron and the aftermath as he hides her in a specially adapted cellar.

It was claimed that two episodes had darkly dwelt on the man planning the abduction, as well as describing his feelings about the girl.

That book, which has run for the last two weeks, followed a previous reading of another 'dark' and 'gothic' book called The Behaviour of Moths.

Critics of the show claim this fits a growing pattern on the show of unsettling book choices on a show which is meant to help them 'wind down'.

People have complained stories on the show in recent months featured either murder, abuse, dysfunctional families and now the abduction of a child.

This week Radio 4 complaints show Feedback fielded repeated complaints about the direction the programme had been going.

One listener, Simon Price, from Derbyshire, said  the description in a 'very sensuous voice' of the antics of a paedophile, made him feel 'physically sick'.

Another, Helen Thompson, said: "Helpless is inappropriate for any time of day least of all at bedtime."

She added: "I can't believe you have chosen to subject us to the lurid details of a grown man's obsession with a young child. It borders on the crass, incentive and downright offensive."

A third said: "The subject matter was one that I thought was a little bit too much for a late night programme, when you are trying to think about going to sleep."

Commissioning editor Caroline Raphael said the Book of Bedtime broadcast a range of types of book.

She had chosen to adapt Helpless because it was an 'extremely well written' book. The BBC programmer said people had the choice to turn off.

She said: 'It is about a very difficult subject. Unfortunately writers do want to write about disturbing things, but we felt this showed a level of humanity and an attempt to tell the story from everyone's perspective that we thought listeners would enjoy hearing.'

The BBC commissioner added: "I would accept that the Behaviour of Moths followed up by Helpless may not have been the best two books to put next to each other. However we do try and get books on publication."

She pointed out that as well as this type of fiction there had numerous works from classic authors like E.M Forster used in the slot, with others like Dickens in the coming months.